Package making machine



July 1, 1958 F. E. BICKFORD PACKAGE MAKING MACHINE l2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed June 9, 1954 INVENTOR.

. FREDERICK E.BICKFORD Hi5 ATTORN EYS Jul 1, 1958 Filed June 9, 1954 F. E. BICKFORD PACKAGE MAKING MACHINE 12 Sheets-Sheet 2 7 7' INVENTOR.

FREDERICK E.BICKFORD HIS ATTORNEYS July 1, 1958 2,841,058

F. E. BICKFORD PACKAGE MAKING MACHINE Filed June 9, 1954 12 Sheets-Sheet :5

92 INVENTOR.

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l lllnllllllllll ll l a d A u r1 HIS ATTORN EYS l2 Sheets-Sheet 6 Filed June 9. '1954 INVENTOR.

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July 1, 1958 PACKAGE MAKING MACHINE Filed June 9, 1954 12 Sheets-Sheet 8 o o o I 784- as? 288 are U D L INVENTOR. FREDERICK EBKKPORD 122 i BY Hus ATTORNEYS y 1958 F. E. BICKFORD 2,341,053

PACKAGE MAKING MACHINE Filed June 9, 1954 12 Sheets-Sheet 9 10a 2 7/0 Fig. 2 J

252 INVENTOR.

Fnenemcx E BICKFORD Q BM HIS ATTORNEYS July 1, 1958 F. E. BICKFORD 2,841,058

PACKAGE MAKING MACHINE Filed June 9, 1954 12 Sheets-Sheet 1O 7-- 2 qlwflfiii w (7 L INVENTOR.

. .7 FREDERKK E.BICKFORD Hus ATTORNEYS July 1, 1958 F. E. BICKFORD PACKAGE MAKING MACHINE Filed June 9, 1954 12 Sheets-Shet 11 INVEN TOR. FREDERICK EBmKFoRD BY SW HIS ATTORNEY$ y 1, 1958 F. E. BICKFORD 2,841,058

PACKAGE MAKING MACHINE Filed June 9, 1954 l2 Sheets-Sheet l2 INVENTOR.

. Fasuemcx E. BlCKI-ORD V BY QQAJZ maximum IHII Z Hill HIS ATTORNEYS United States Patent PACKAGE MAKING MACHINE Frederick E. Bickford, Greenwich, Conn.

Application June 9, 1954, Serial No. 435,489

19 Claims. (Cl. 93-44) lulose acetate sheeting to form rigid packages as con trasted with the use of such thin sheet for wrapping already formed packages or for directly Wrapping goods and wherein the package is not rigid but is supported by the contents.

Still more particularly, the invention relates to the formation of packages from cellulose acetate sheet through the utilization of heat and pressure to mold the sheet into its ultimate form. Without the use of heat and pressure, acetate sheeting cannot be molded permanently into package form. The instant machine supplies a simple method of manufacturing rigid packages of cellulose acetate, the machine being light, small and readily moved so that packages may be made at the point of use, that is, the machine may be rolled about the factory floor and to the point of discharge of the manufactured article and the articles to be packaged may thus be placed directly in the packages as those packages are produced, thus eliminating the storing of completed packages and permitting an extremely flexible production set-up.

It is an object of the invention to provide a machine for forming package trays and covers or complete packages including bottom tray and cover from sheets of cellulose acetate material, which sheets are so thin as to be lacking in rigidity until formed into the package shape.

It is another object of the invention to provide a machine of the type described including means for folding the acetate sheet and applying heat and pressure thereto to set the folded sheet in the form desired.

It is another object of the invention to provide such a machine having means for automatically producing a series of packages and for discharging them in completed form either on a conveyor or other suitable receptacle.

It is a further object of the invention to provide such a packaging machine which is readily adapted topro duce packages of different dimensions and specifically to produce a series of packages all of which have one dimension in common but in which the remaining two dimensions may be varied.

It is still a further object of the invention to provide a machine of the type described which is light, compact and may readily be moved to any desired position so that the packages may be made at the point of utilization thereof.

Other objects and features of the invention will become apparent when the following description is considered in connection with the annexed drawings in which,

Figure 1 is a side elevation with portions in vertical cross-section showing a packaging machine in accordance 2,841,058 Patented July 1, 1958 with my invention, the particular machine being manually operated;

Figure 2 is a horizontal cross-sectional View of the machine of Figure 1, the section being taken on the plane of the line 2-2 of Figure 1;

Figure 2a is a fragmentary front elevational view of the means for feeding sheet material to position to be molded into packages; 3

Figure 3 is a vertical cross-sectional view of a means for locking a movable portion of a molding chamber in an adjusted position. This view includes a fragment of the molding chamber which fragment is shown in elevation;

Figure 4 is a top plan view of the molding chamber of the machine with the two portions of that chamber separated;

Figure 5 is a vertical cross-sectional view of the molding chamber, the cross-section being taken on the plane of the line 55 of Figure 4;

Figure 6 is a fragmentary front elevation of the movable portion of the molding chamber;

Figure 7 is a view of the complete molding chamber,

7 the left half thereof being in elevation and the right half in vertical cross-section as indicated by the line 7-7 of Figure 4;

Figure 8 is a horizontal cross-sectional view of the complete molding chamber with the portions thereof in closed position, the section being taken on the planes of the line 88 of Figure 7;

Figure 9 is a front elevation of the movable portion of the mold showing particularly the manner of operating the creasing and cutting rollers, as well as the manner of operating the corner flap folding means.

Figure 10 is a schematic top plan view of the molding chamber showing particularly the arrangemnt of suction ports for carrying the sheet material into molding position.

Figure 11 is a vertical cross-sectional view through the registering plate and the mold top showing the relationship of the suction ports in these two elements and showing also the knife which severs a desired portion from a continuous sheet of material. The section is taken on the plane of the line 11-11 of Figure 10;

Figure 12 is a top plan view of the registering plate of Figure 11 showing, when taken with Figure 10, the manner of connecting the suction ports of the mold top and those of the registering plate with a source of suction through a two-way valve;

Figure 13 is a top plan view of the, means for discharging completed containers from the plunger on which they are formed;

Figure 14 is a side elevation of the forming plunger showing a portion of means for discharging packages therefrom in section, the sectional portion being taken on the plane of the line 1414 of Figure 13;

'Figure 15 is a vertical cross-sectional view at right angles to the view of Figure 14, the view being taken on the plane of the line 15-15 of Figure 13 and showing particularly the mode of conducting compressed air to passages in the plunger for the purposes of discharging the completed package from that plunger;

Figure 16 is an elevational view showing a valve means for controlling the passage of air to the package removing means of Figures 13-15;

Figure 17 is a side elevation partly in section showing the machine of the preceding figures with automatic drive means incorporated therein;

, Figure 18 is a front elevational view of the lower left hand side of the machine of Figure 17, showing the arrangement of the driving gears and Geneva wheel;

Figure 19 is a transverse vertical section of the lower 3 portion of the machine of Figure 17 showing particularly the means for operating the movable mold section;

Figure 20 is a fragmentary section taken'on the plane of line 20-2i of Figure 19 showing the mode of locking the movable mold section in its closed position;

Figure 21 is a fragmentary vertical section of the lower part of the machine of Figure 17 showing particularly the mechanism for operating the flap folders;

Figure 22 is a side elevation, partly in section, of a machinesimilar to'that of Figure 17 showing the details of the mode of varying the size of the molding chamber and of the means for providing adjustability of associated parts;

Figure 23 is a fragmentary horizontal section of the variable sized molding chamber of Figure 22;

Figure 24 is a front elevational view of the machine of Figure 17 omitting the driving gears and omitting certain'other features in order that the showing of the means for locking and moving the movable portion of the mold chamber may be clear;

Figure 25 is a fragmentary horizontal sectional view of the means of Figures 17 and 24, the view being taken on the plane of the line 2525 of Figure 24;

Figure 26 is a vertical cross-sectional view of a molding chamber for the formation'of a complete box including the base tray and cover from a single blank, severed from packaging sheet material, in a single operation. This view omits certain of the operating mechanisms in order that the general construction of the molding chamb'er may be clear;

Figure 27 is a view generally similar to Figure 26 but showing the operating means for the various flap folders and omitting other mechanisms which are shown in Figure Figure 28 is'a horizontal section of the molding chamber of Figures 26 and 27, the section being taken on the plane of the line 2828 of Figure 27, and showing particularly the mode of operating the means for locking the mold bottom in its lowermost position during a portion of the molding operation and also during the time when the mold portions are separated;

Figure 28A is a horizontal cross section similar to Figure 28 but taken on the plane of the line 28A--28A of Fig. 27;

Figure 29 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view of a portion of the locking means for the mold bottom showing particularly the means for locking the mold bottom in position during the period when the mold portions are separated;

Figure 30 is a fragmentary transverse cross-sectional view of the removable mold bottom and its locking means, the view being taken on the plane of the line 30-30 of Figure 28;

Figure 31 is a horizontal cross-sectional view of the flap folders and operating means therefor used in connection with the one-piece box and hinged cover, the view being taken on the plane of the line 31-31 of Figure 30;

Figures 32 and 35 are additional views of the molding chamber utilized when the package is in the form of a box with a hinged cover joined thereto;

Figure 36 is a front elevational view, partly in section, showing a molding plunger which is adjustable in-size'in order to conform to the variable size of the molding chamber;

Figure 37 is a side elevation, partly in section, of the plunger of Figure 36;

Figure 38 is a horizontal cross-sectional view of the molding plunger of Figures 36 and 37, the view'being taken on the plane of the line 38-38 of Figure 37;

Figure 39 is an enlarged top plan viewof the flap folder operating means and a cooperatingplunger'illustrating particularly the use of electronic high frequency heating to seal the corner flaps to the molded sheet;

Figure 40 is a fragmentary cross-sectional view ofthe flap folders and plunger of Figure 39 showing the "shape of the electrodes utilized in the sealing of the flaps to the molded sheet;

Figure 41 is a diagrammatic representation of the steps in the formation of a package, tray or cover as performed by one embodiment of the machine of my invention; and

Figure 42 is a diagrammatic showing of the steps performed in forming a one-piece box and hinged cover in the manner disclosed in connection with the second embodiment of my invention.

As will be obvious from the foregoing brief description of the drawings, a single basic machine has been provided which may be operated either manually or automatically. In addition, the machine may be adapted to form packages of a particular dimension only or may be equipped with an extensible molding chamber so that packages of varying dimension may be made. Further the machine has been so designed that when a box consisting of two separate parts comprising a tray and a cover therefor are to be formed, two mold chambers and associated mechanisms may be placed side by side and driven either manually or automatically to simultaneously form both a tray and a cover, different from the tray only in having slightly greater length and width, so that the two portions of a complete box are discharged side by side. Additionally, there has been shown in the drawings a modification adapted to either the manually or the automatically operated machine whereby a complete box with a hinged cover may be formed in one machine unit at each operational cycle.

The various features mentioned above will now be described with reference to the drawings of the machine, the description being divided into sections in order that the features and the mode of operation may be more readily understood.

Frame The various machine elements are supported upon a frame (Figures 1 and 17) which comprises the vertical channel -members 41, 42 and 43, together with crosspieces 44 and 45 which extend diagonally along the sides of the frame joining the front and rear channel members 41 and 43 and likewise joining the intermediate channel member 42. The frame also includes cross members 46, 47 and the diagonally extending bracing member 48. As is readily seen by reference to Figures 1 and 2, the framework comprises a lower generally rectangular portion having an upper extension at the rear thereof of substantially half of the overall depth of the machine, this upper extension being comprised of the upper portions of the intermediate vertical frame members 42, and the rear vertical frame members 43. The various frame members just above described are fastened together by any suitable means as for example, riveting, welding or the like and in addition, the frame members form supports for various operating shafts which shafts also fix the frame members with respect to each other and aid in providing a rigid unitary structure.

Sheet feeding mechanism Referring still toFigures .1 and 2, it will be seen that a shaft 50 is supported upon the forward vertical channels 41 and that there is rotatably mounted on the shaft 50 near'its center a supply reel Si on which a roll of cellulose acetate or other moldable sheet material is mounted. The material'frorn the roll 51 passes forwardly of a shaft 52 which is supported in the forward vertical frame members 41, thence is fed between two feed rollers 53 and 54 (see Figure 2a), the feed rollers being r-otatably mounted upon a pair of shafts 55 and 56.

Rotatably mounted upon the shaft 56 are two gears 57, these gears being driven bymeans of racks formed on the lower surface of arms 58 (Figure 3), which arms are fixed to the movable mold section which will be described hereinafter.

'Ihtegral with or fixed to'ea'ch gear '57 is a wheel or disk 60 (Fig. 2a) on which is mounted a ratchet pawl 61. Pawls 61 cooperate with ratchet wheels 62 which ratchet wheels are fixed to the shaft 36. Also fixed to shaft 56 is a pair of gears 63 which gears mesh with similar gears 63a which are mounted respectively above the gears of the lower pair and fixed to the upper shaft 55. It will be seen therefore that as the rack-bearing arms 58 move in one direction (to the right in Figure 2) the feed rollers are driven by the pawls 61 and advance the sheet material, this advance being at the same rate as that of the movable mold section due to the fact that all of the gears of the train are of the same pitch diameter which diameter is likewise equal to the diameter of the feed rollers 53 and 54. Thus the advance of the sheet under urge both of the movable mold section and of the feed rollers is such as to prevent any strain or mislocation being imparted to the material.

When the racks are returned to the position in which the mold chamber is open the gears 57 and ratchet disks 6t? rotate in the opposite direction but the feed rollers do not rotate since the pawls 61 merely move over the ratchet wheels 62.

Mounted on a shaft 64 which extends between the diagonal side members 48 are a pair of supply reels 65 on which tear strips, which may be strips of cellulose acetate material having either pressure sensitive adhesive on one side or supplied with adhesive from container 59, are mounted. Material from these supply reels 65 is fed to the feed rollers 53 (which has conforming milled grooves therein) and 54 concurrently with the supply of sheet material from the reel 51 and the pressure of the feed rollers causes the tear strips to be embedded in and adhered to the upper side of the main sheet thus providing weakened lines along the tear strip edges facilitating opening of the package. It will, of course, be obvious that should such tear strips not be desired, they may be omitted.

Mounted with its lower surface horizontally in sub stantial alignment with the line of contact between the rollers 53 and 54 is a plate 66 (see Figures 11 and 12) having a plurality of openings in its lower surfaces. These openings are connected together and are connected by means of a pipe 67 and valve 68 to pipe 70, and to a source of suction.

The top plate 71 of the movable portion of the molding chamber (which will be described hereinafter) is provided with a plurality of ports 71 which are likewise connected to the pipe 70 through valve 68. The two-way valve 68 thus provides for shifting the suction source from the apertures in plate 71 to those in plate 66.

A knife blade, later described, is provided 'at the rear end of the plate 66 (at the right side as shown in Figure 1). With the material in position so that the leading edge abuts the knife, the suction source is connected to the apertures 69 in the lower surface of plate 66 and the material is thus held against that lower surface. At this time the movable portion of the molding chamber is at its rearmost position and the material is held against the plate while the movable molding chamber portion is travelling to the left during which period the feed rollers remain stationary as has been described.

Prior to the next movement of the movable mold portion to the rear, the valve 68 is operated supplying suction through the ports 71 in the mold top plate-71 and the material is then caused to move rearwardly at the same rate as the mold portion, being fed both because of the suction exerted through the ports 71 and because of the operation of the feed rollers 53 and 54.

Sheet cutting means The sheet material is supplied in a continuous strip the width of which is equal to the length of the package or package tray plus twice the depth of that tray. Portions must be severed from this sheet which are of a length equal to the width of the package plus twice this depth.

As has been indicated hereinabove, the sheet is fed in such a manner that the movement of the movable mold half determines the amount of material which is fed. Since this is the case, it is only necessary that the material be severed across its width after each feeding operation. This is accomplished in the present instance by means of a knife blade which, as is clearly seen in Figure 11, extends across the rear end of the plate 66 and is guided thereby. Knife blade 150 cooperates with a cutting edge inset in the upper surface of mold top 71 to perform the cutting action.

The knife blade 150 is guided for reciprocatory vertical movement by means of the upstanding guides 151 which guides are fixed to a spider 152 which in turn supports the top surface of the plate 66. As is shown particularly in Figure 11, the knife blade 150 is provided with extensions 153 at the sides thereof which extensions are pivotally joined to the driving member 154 (Figure 1), the plate proper being held in position against the rearward edge of plate 66 by means of springs 155 which cooperate with pins 156 to retain the plate in the position mentioned.

Member 154 comprises two links 157 which extend upwardly and are joined at points 158 (Figure 1) to two links 160 which are in turn pivotally connected to crank pins on the crank disks 161. The crank disks 161 are driven by means of gears 162 and 163 (one set at either side of the machine) the gears 163 being fixed to the shaft 110 to which the sprocket wheels 108 are also fixed and being thus driven by the sprocket wheels 108 and their drive mechanism as will shortly be described.

-The top plate 71 of the movable half of the molding chamber is provided with a notch 164 extending crosswise thereof into which notch the knife 150 descends in cutting the material, the shearing action taking place against the left edge of the notch which edge is so located as to provide an equal amount of material at either side of the plunger, this amount of material being equal to the depth of the package tray to be formed.

Molding chamber The molding chamber or mold of the instant invention is similar to and an improvement upon the molding chamber disclosed in my Patent No. 2,612,822 issued October 7, 1952. The machine of that patent utilized a reciprocable plunger and the mold or molding chamber was a rigid structure. However, in the present application,

the molding plungers are mounted upon an endless chain and move through the molding chamber and the mold is made in two portions which can be, separated to permit the passage of the plungers.

The molding chamber comprises the two halves 72 and 73 which are shown in a schematic form in Figure 1 and in detail in Figures 4-9. The portion 73 is mounted upon the transversely extending channel members 47 and 49. The portion 72 is mounted upon rollers 75 extending between the arms of a channel 74. Channel 74 is in turn mounted upon the transversely extending channels 46 and 49.

Referring now to Figures 4 through 9, the mold half 73 comprises a rectangular metal block 76 to which are fixed the side plates 77 and 78, the top plate 86 and the base plate 81. The block 76 as well as the top plate St) is provided with a pair of narrow slots 82 extending rearwardly from its forward edges, these slots providing a space into which the triangular folds resulting from upward bending of the sides and ends of a sheet of material, extend.

In a similar manner, the movable portion 72 of the mold comprises a rectangular block 83 together with side plates 84 and 85, top plate 71 and a base plate 87' (Figure 5). The rectangular block 83 and the top plate 71 are provided with narrow slots 87 extending inwardly from the face of the block, which slots serve the same function as do the slots 82 in the stationary member al ready referred to.

The top plates and'71 and the bottom plates 81 and 87 are provided with rabbeted portions at their adjacent edges so that they fit together when the movable mold portion is in mold closing position. Likewise, in this position, the adjacent faces of the rectangular blocks 76 and 83 are spaced apart by the width of a molding plunger 88 and the slots 82 and 87 extend outwardly at each end of the molding plunger.

'Thus as the plunger descends upon a sheet of material held upon the top plate 71 (it being understood that a portion of material is severed from the sheet material prior to the operation now described) the sides of the material are folded upwardly against the sides of the plunger and at the same time since the rectangular blocks come together at the-ends of the plunger,'the material will also be folded up at those ends, the formation of the folds producing triangularly shaped flaps which extend into the slots. The formation of these corners will be assisted by the bevel edges 89 of the mold blocks '76 and The molding chamber is provided with a bottom 90 which bottom is inserted in a slot in the block 83 and is additionallysupported by means of the brackets 91 fixed to the face of the block 83. When the movable mold half is in the closed position as indicated in Figure 7, the

bottom 90 lies in the path of the plunger 88 and the base portion of the sheet material is therefore placed between these two elements either or both of which is or are heated in any suitable manner as, for example, by means of electrical resistance or inductive heating elements placed in bores in the elements.

Each mold half is provided with two pairs of creasing rollers 92 and with two pairs of cutoff rollers 93, one pair of creasing rollers and one pair of cutoff rollers being located adjacent each of the slots 82 and 87 in such a manner that the roller axes are parallel to the slots and the line of contact between the rollers is substantially in alignment with the center line of the corresponding slot. Thus as the plunger descends and the sides and ends are folded upwardly forming triangular flaps, the flaps are creased by passage between the corresponding rollers 92 and are subsequently cut off to a desired length by means of the cutoff rollers 93 which are provided with peripheral cutting edges so located as to cut off a desired portion of the apex of the triangular end flaps. The slots 82 and 87 extend to the bottomof the mold for discharge of material cut off by rollers 93.

The molding chamber is also provided with end flap foldingmeans which means comprise substantially rectangular small metal blocks 127. These blocks 127 normally extend outwardly and are out of contact with the plunger sides. However, when the plunger has descended to an extent such that the end flaps have been creased and cut-and are positioned against the faces of the flap folders, the latter are rotated about their axes until they lie against the sides of the plunger, thus folding the truncated triangular flaps against the upturned sides of the sheet material and exerting pressure against the plunger sides. Preferably, the flap folding members 94 are heated and the heat, together with the pressure, causes the folded flaps to be adhered to the upstanding sides to form a completed tray.

Mold operating means QAS has been indicated, the portion 72 of the mold or molding'chamber is movable to open and close the mold and is mounted upon the rollers 75 which are guided in the channel 74. Fixed to the mold chamber part 72 are the forwardly extending arms 58 heretofore described, which arms are joined at their forward ends by means of a bar 94 forming a handle by means of which an operator may move the mold forwardly to open position or rearwardly to closed position at will. In order to assure that the mold -will remain in closed positionwhile a package tray is being formed therein a locking means shown parin a downwardly extending portion 97 of each of the arms 58. The locking plungers '95 extend through openings in the bottom plate 87 of the movable mold portion 72 and into openings in a longitudinally extending channel 79 (see also Figure 7).

Pivotally mounted in widened portions at the juncture of the horizontal and vertical portions 58 and 97 are bell cranks 98 one arm of each of'which is connected by means of a link 100 to the corresponding plunger 95 and the other arm of which is connected by means of a link 101 to a handle member 102 which extends transversely across between the arms 58. Springs 99 urge plungers 95 toward their locking position.

Thus by grasping the handle 58 with the fingers around the horizontally extending portion 102 joining the links 161 and pressing member 102 against the parallel portion of the member 58 the mold chamber 72 is unlocked and may be moved forwardly to open the mold, this forward movement also resulting in positioning the mold part 72 beneath the plate so that sheet material will be fed rearwardly upon the next rearward movement of the mold.

Molding plungers and operating means therefor The molding plungers generally designated 88 (see Figures 1, 7, 14 and 15) comprise the plunger proper 103 having formed integrally therewith the upstanding members 164 which members are joined at their top by a cross bar 105. Bars 105 of the various plungers extend outwardly and are pivoted at their outer ends on links 106 (Figure l) of a sprocket chain 107. The sprocket chains 1417 are supported by sprocket wheels 108 mounted at the top of the machine on a shaft 110 which is rotatably mounted in plates 111 extending between the channels 42 and 43 at either side of the machine.

At the bottom of the machine, sprocket chains 107 pass over and are driven by sprocket wheels 112 which wheels are vertically inalignment with the wheels 108 and are supported on and fixed for rotation with a shaft 113 which is rotatably mounted in bearings fixed to the diagonally extending frame members 44.

At each side of the machine (see Figure 2) an additional sprocket wheel 114 is mounted on shaft 113 for rotation therewith. Chains 115 extend from the sprocket wheels 114 to sprocket wheels 116 mounted on the ends of the shaft 52. Mounted on shaft 52 are two hand wheels 117, one adjacent to each of the side bars 58, which, as has been described, are fixed to the movable portion of the molding chamber. The hand wheels 117 are thus in position to be readily operated and when rotated through 90 of arc will cause a particular plunger 88 to move through a distance equal to a quarter of the length of the chains 107. In operation the hand wheels 117 are moved through a small distance to move a plunger from a position on top of a sheet of material extending over the mold opening to a position in which the plunger bottom is in contact with the mold bottom 90, thus causing the sheet material to be drawn down into the molding chamber, creased by the creasing rollers which are operated in a manner to be described, the triangular corner flaps formed cut off by the cutoff rollers and these corner flaps folded against the sides of the tray and sealed thereto. When tear strips are used the plunger bottom has conforming shallow grooves therein.

After this movement of the plunger under drive of the handwheels 117 the mold is opened as has been heretofore described, and while the mold is opening a previously formed package tray is removed from the plunger on which it was formed in a manner which Will be hereinafter described. The hand Wheels 117- are then rotated throughtheremainingportionof the 90 ofmovement previously discussed, the mold closed and the cycle repeated.

Means for Operating the creasing and cutofi rollers As has been indicated hereinabove and as best shown in Figures 7, 8 and 9, a pair of creasing rollers 92 and a pair of cutofi rollers 93 is provided at each corner of the mold chamber, the axes of these rollers extending in a direction parallel to the direction ofmovement of the movable portion of the mold chamber, the creasing rollers being mounted on shafts 113 and the cutoff rollers on shafts 119. At the ends of shafts 118 and 119 remote from the respective rollers gears 120 and 121 are provided, the pairs of gears 120 meshing with each other and the pairs of gears 121 likewise meshing with each other. One gear of each pair 120 meshes with and is driven by a rack 122 which, in like manner, meshes with and drives one gear of each pair of gears 121. Racks 122, of which there are four, extend vertically, being guided in the blocks 76 and 83. Each rack is in mesh with a gear or gear sector 123 which gears are mounted on horizontal shafts. Integral with each gear 123 (Figure 9) is an outwardly eXtending crank arm 124, having projections 124a facing toward the cross arms 105 of plungers 88. The ends of these projections 124a lie in the path of projections 125 fixed to the chain links 106 at appropriate points.

Thue as the plungers descend the crank arms 123 are caused to descend elevating the racks 122 and rotating the creasing and cutoff rollers 118 and 119, the rollers of each pair rotating in opposite directions so that the material folded into the slots 82 and 87 by descent of the plunger in the molding chamber will be creased in triangular form and thereafter the ends of the triangles will be cut off leaving flaps which are truncated triangles. Since the projections 125 are fixed to the links of chains 107 it will be obvious that the creasing and cutoff rollers are operated in timed relationship to the descent of the plunger. As is clear from Figure 9, once the plunger has descended to the point where the projection 125 no longer makes contact with the respective crank arm projections 124a, the creasing rollers may rotate in the reverse direction for restoration to their normal position, such rotation being effected under urge of a suitable spring, not shown.

Flap folders and operation thereof As has beenindicated hereinabove the packaging tray is formed by taking a rectangular sheet of thin cellulose acetate material, positioning it above the molding chamber in a position symmetrical with respect to the plunger 88, causing descent of the plunger while the mold chamher is closed to thereby form a base, upstanding sides andtriangular shaped flaps extending outwardly from the front and rear of the tray' at the side edges thereof, the flaps lying in planes parallel to the side edges.

These flaps are folded inwardly against the front and rear portions of the tray and sealed in their folded positions in order to complete the package tray.

The flap folders as heretofore mentioned are shown in Figures 7, 8 and 9 and comprise generally rectangular, preferably metallic, blocks 127 which blocks are pinned to and rotate with vertically extending shafts 128, these shafts being supported in the blocks 76 and 83 adjacent each corner of the molding chamber. At the opposite or lower ends of the shafts 128 there are provided gear sectors 130 which sectors mesh with racks 131 guided for horizontal movement in the blocks 76 and 83. Racks 131, in addition to being provided with teeth in their side surfaces which mesh with the gear sectors 130 are also provided with teeth in their lower surfaces, these teeth meshing with gears 132 supported on horizontally extending stub shafts fixed in the blocks 76 and 83. Gears 132 are broad faced gears and mesh also with the vertically extending racks 133 which racks are guided in the blocks andextend below those blocks, lying, as is seen 10 in Figure 1, on the cross bars 134 of a flap folder operating frame about to be described.

The flap folder frame comprises the upright members 135 a pair of which are located on each side of the ma.- chine, the upright members being joined at the top and bottom by the horizontal cross members 136, the framework thus formed being slidable vertically within .the channels 42 at either side of the machine. The treadle levers 137 are pivoted at 138 on brackets 140, the rear ends of these levers 137 being pivotally connected to the bars 141 joining the lower horizontally extending cross bars 136. The levers 137 are joined at their forward ends by a treadle bar 152 and are spring-urged upwardly at these forward ends by means of springs 143 stretched between the levers 137 and fixed points on the channels 41.

Thus upon depression of the treadle bar 142 the frame 141 is elevated causing the racks 133 to be moved upwardly resulting in movement of the flap folders 127 to press the truncated triangular flaps of material against the upstanding side walls ofthe partially formed tray. Since the mold bottom, mold sides, and flap folders 127 are heated the tray portions are caused to adhere together and in addition the material is caused to be molded or set by the heat and pressure at the lines of juncture between the base and side walls so that the package although formed of relatively thin sheet material becomes rigid without any tendency for the the bottom, sides or ends to belly out. The heating means for the mold sides and bottom may comprise electrical resistance heaters inserted in bores in these elements or may comprise electrodes which serve to heat the cellophane or other cellulosic sheet material by induction. One mode of induction heating will subsequently be described, but it is to-be understood that any other heating means might be utilized. such for example as electrical resistance heaters men-- tioned above.

Discharge means As will be clear from the foregoing, package trays: are formed on the plungers 88 the package trays extend ing across the bottom of the main portion of the plunger and up the sides and ends thereof to a definite extent de-- pending upon the desired tray or package depth. The sheet material is upset from sheet form and reset by heat and pressure to permanently conform to the rectangular outline of the plunger and are so well formed as to remain on the plungers during further operations as the result of friction between the plunger walls and the interior walls of the package tray.

In order to discharge formed trays at a desired location, the plungers are provided with air passages and means are provided to eject the trays from the plungers by a blast of compressed air which acts against the tray bottoms. Also, means are provided. to receive trays so ejected and place them on a discharge platform from which they may be manually removed for filling and covering.

Referring now to Figures 13 through 16, it will be seen that each plunger 88 is provided with passageways therein which passageways extend downwardly through the supporting portions 194 into the plunger proper 193 terminating at either side of the plunger 1593 in branches 166 which incline downwardly terminating in the sides of the plunger 103 just above the base. The passageways 165 terminate at their upper ends in horizontal passages 167 which are arranged to communicate with valve con.- duits 168 when the plungers 38 are in the position shown in Figure 1.

As the plungers are moved into the position shown in Figures 1 and 14, the left-hand edge of the central portion of crossbar 105 strikes roller 170 which is mounted on a bracket 171 fixed to the rear portion 73 ofthe stationary part of the mold chamber. Mounted on a cross channel 172, extending between rear upright channels 43, are two brackets 173 in which a hollow shaft 174 is rotatably supported. Air under pressure is supplied through a pipe -175 to .shaft 174.

the valve conduits 1&8 each of which comprises a tube having a spring pressed valve 178, and a valve operator 176 therein, the valve 178 and operator 176 being urged to the left by spring 177.

When the plungers are at the position shown in Figure 1 the valve conduits 168 are horizontal and the valve operators 176 are pressed inwardly by contact with the cross-bar 105 to thereby open the valves 178 and connect them to the air inlet pipe 175.

Hollow shafts 174 rotate through an are indicated in Figure 14, thus moving generally tangentially to the 'path of movement of the plungers 83 and causing the plungers to firmly seat against the roller 170 to aid in opening the valves 178. This movement of the hollow shaft 174 is brought about by means of crank arms 181, each fixed to pipe 175 or to an extension 180 of the shaft 174, and connected by means of links 132, 183 and 184 to crank disks 185 on stub shafts 186, Figure 1. Fixed to each crank disk 185 or to the corresponding shaft 156 is a gear which in turn meshes with a gear 137 driven by the gear 163 on shaft 11-0.

By means of the mechanism described the valve conduit members are positioned horizontally at the time that the plunger crossbar 105 is in line with and bears against the roller 170 and the valves 17% are opened. However, it is not desirable to have air admitted to the passageways 166 at this time and for this reason an auxiliary valve 188, shown in Figure 16, is provided which auxiliary valve is provided with a valve stem 190 terminating ina ball end 191. Pipe 175 is connected directly to the valve 188 and supply pipe 192 is connected to the inlet side of the valve 188.

The ball end 191 of valve 188 extends downwardly and cooperates with a camming surface 193 (Figure l) on a discharge platform 1%. The discharge platform 194 is fixed to the movable mold half 72 by means of arms 189 and is in the form of a relatively narrow shelf which can be moved from the position shown in Figures 1 and 2 to a position in which it lies immediately under the plunger 88, this movement being effected by movement of the movable mold half 72. Thus as the mold'is opened after the formation of a package tray in the manner hereinabove described the camming surface 193 operates against the ball end 191 of valve plunger 1% opening the valve and permitting air under pressure to flow through that valve and through the hollow shaft 174, valves 178, passages 167, 165 and 166, to blow the formed tray on the second preceding plunger from that plunger onto the shelf or discharge platform 194. While the mold is open and the platform 194 is in its left hand position beneath the plunger 38, the hand wheel 117 are operated to move the plungers 83 through a small portion of the total amount of movement between stations, thus removing the plunger which was in the molding chamber from that chamber and at the same time removing the plunger from which the package tray was discharged from its position against the roller 170. As the plunger moves upwardly from the position against roller 170 the springs 177 cause valves 178 to close so that air is not discharged needlessly.

Thereafter and before the next plunger of the series approaches the platform 194 from below the mold is of course again closed, thus closing the valve 188 and preventing any discharge of air. Additionally, the tube or hollow shaft 174 is rotated in a counterclockwise direction as seen in Figure 14 to a position below its center ready to travel with the next following plunger as it moves into position with the left hand side of its crossbar 105 in position against the roller 170.

Automatic machine As has been indicated hereinabove the basic elements of the automatic machine are substantially identical to the like elements of the manually operated machine. Be-

12 causeof this the automatic machine shown particularly in Figures 17 through 23 bears the same reference characters as the manually operated machine for the identical parts, new reference characters being used only for added or modified parts.

Frame The machine frame is substantially identical with that used for the manual machine, thus making it possible to convert a machine from manual to automatic operation. In the automatic machine the opening and closing of the molding chamber is performed under power drive as is the timed movement of the plungers.

In order to secure the timed operations of these devices there is supplied at either side of the machine a series of pulleys and gears the various elements mentioned being supported in the frame members 41, 44, 45 as well as in brackets and bearings secured to these frameimembers. Additionally, there is supplied at either side of the 1nachine an auxiliary framework 200 which cooperates with the main framework to support various of the gear and pulley shafts.

Drive means Supported in the frames or plates 200 is a shaft 201 extending across the machine, which shaft is suitably driven by a motor, not shown, and to which is fastened a pulley 202 at each side of the machine. Pulleys 202 drive belts 203 which pass over pulleys 204 fixed to shaft 205 which shaft extends from one side of the machine to the other. Fixed in each pulley 204 is a Genevavdrive pin 206 which pin meshes with the usual. slots 207 in corresponding Geneva wheels 208, the wheels 208 being mounted on shaft 210 which extends from one .side of the machine to the other being supported in theouter plates 200 as well as in the diagonal frame members 45. Fixed to the shaft 210 adjacent each Geneva wheel 208 is a gear 211, the gears 211 meshing with gears 212 which are fixed to shaft 113 as in the manually operated machine. Sprocket wheels 112 are fixed to the shaft 113 between the frame members, these sprocket wheels serving to drive the endless plunger chains 107.

Also fixed to shaft 113 are gears 213 which mesh with gears 214, each of which is supported on a shaft 215 mounted in an individual bracket 216 suitably supported from the rear frame member 43. The gears 214 in turn mesh with gears 217 mounted on a shaft 218 extending from one side of the machine to the other, and gears 217 mesh with gears 220 fixed to a shaft 221. Mounted within the side frame of the machine and fixed to the shaft 221 are sprocket wheels 222 which drive a chain 223 forming part of a discharge conveyor as will hereinafter be described.

Sheet feeding and cutting mechanism The sheet feeding mechanism as well as the sheet cutting mechanism is identical with that described for the manually operable machine. The sheet feeding mechanism is operated by the movements of the movable mold half and the sheet cutting mechanism is operated by the movements of the plunger chain.

Mold operating means The movements of the mold operating means are controlled by the movements of shaft 205 in a manner which is seen particularly in Figures 17 and 19. Mounted on the shaft 205 at either side of the machine and adjacent the inner sides of the side frames is a disk 224, eaclrdisk being provided with an eccentrically mounted pin 225', these pins extending parallel to the shaft 205 and toward the center of the machine. Pins 225 are arranged to cooperate with a plate 226 which comprises part of a framework 227 fastened at its upper end to the movable mold half 72. Frame 227 is slidable in a guide 228 which guide is pivotally mounted at 230 on a bracket 231 which is in turn pivotally mounted at 232 on a bracket 72 is moved to the left and returned to the closed position of Figure 19.

Mold locking means In order to assure that the mold will be completely closed during those portions of the cycle when the plunger is descending and the package tray is being formed, a locking means similar to that already disclosed in connection with the manually operated machine is provided. This locking means comprises the plungers 95 (Figures 1, 3 and 24) which cooperate with apertures in the channels '79. Extending outwardly from plungers 95 are the pins 235 which are pivotally connected to links 236, Figures 19 and 24. Links 236 are pivotally connected at 237 to arms 23% which arms are fixed to a shaft 240 (Figures 19 and 20). Shaft 240 is rotatably supported in brackets 241 fixed to the framework 227. Fixed on shaft 240 at each end thereof is an arm 242, the ends of these arms extending into notches in rods 243. Each rod 243 is supported at one end in the plate 226 and at its opposite end in a hole in the cylindrical housing member 244. Each rod is spring-pressed outwardly (upwardly as seen in Figure 20) by means of a spring 245 which bears against the housing 244 at one end and against a pin 246 in the rod 243 at the opposite end. Each of the rods 243 terminates at its outer end in a button 247 which button is of considerable extent crosswise of the plate 226 and is positioned to be operated by the corresponding one of the two eccentrically mounted pins 225. Thus as shaft 205 rotates, pins 225 first strike the buttons 247 causing the rods 243 to move inwardly and the buttons 247 to seat in the depressions 248 in the plate 226. This action results in rotation of shaft 240 and elevation of the links 236 thereby removing the plungers 95 from the apertures in the rails or guides 79. Continued rotation of shaft 205 causes oscillation of the plate 226 away from and toward the shaft 205 in the manner previously described to open and close the mold during approximately 180 of rotation of the shaft 205.

Mold plunger operating means In the manually operated machine heretofore described the molding plungers are mounted on sprocket chains and these chains are in turn driven froma manually operated shaft. In the automatic machine the sprocket chains and cooperating sprocket wheels are retained but these sprocket wheels are driven from the power source through a Geneva mechanism which has been described under the heading Drive Means. As there described the pulley 204 is provided with a Geneva drive pin 206 which cooperates with a Geneva wheel 208 in the usual manner to drive that wheel through a quarter revolution for each revolution of the shaft 205. The Geneva wheel, through the medium of gears 211 and 212, drives the shaft 113 and therefore the sprocket wheels 112, the gear ratios being such that a molding. plunger 88 moves through one-quarter of its total path of movement during each rotation of the shaft 205, such movement, how ever, taking place during approximately 100 of angular movement of the shaft 205 and the plungers remaining stationary in the positions indicated in Figure 17 during the remainder of each revolution of shaft 205.

Flap folder operating means The flap folder mechanism incorporated in the mold halves is identical with that described in connection with 14 the manually operated machine. However, in the manually operated machine the rack extensions 133 were operated by a framework actuated by a foot treadle 142. In the present instance the rack extensions 133 are operated by a framework 250 (Figure 21) which framework comprises the bars 251, 252 and 253 extending substantially across the machine and being fixed to plates 254 at their outer ends. Bars 251 and 253 are also joined by the integral upright frame member 255 at intermediate locations as seen particularly in Figure 24. At this time it is pointed out that Figures 22 and 23, although they show a molding chamber of variable dimensions, are otherwise similar to Figures 17 and 19 through 21 and are therefore referred to, to augment the showing of the latter figures. Plates 254 are provided with cam openings 256 through which the shaft 205 extends, shaft 205 having mounted on it within each opening 256 a cam 257. Thus as shaft 205 revolves cam 257 elevates the frame 250 once during each revolution. Bar 252 thus bears against and elevates the racks 133 of the stationary half 73 of the molding chamber and bar 251 bears against and elevates the racks 133 of the movable part 72 of the molding chamber. It is to be noted-that bar 251 extends in a fore and aft direction for a considerable distance so that the racks 133 associated with the movable portion of the molding chamber bear against the bar 251 in all positions of that portion of the molding chamber. The plates 254 when in their lowermost position rest upon stops fixed to the machine frame, the stops being indicated at 253. These plates are urged into position against the stops 258 by means of suitable springs, not shown.

Discharge mechanism The discharge mechanism utilized with the automatic machine is identical with'that for the manually operated machine except for the fact that the spring-loaded and cam operated valve 188 (Figure 16) is omitted and the discharge placed entirely under the control of the rotary valve structure of Figures 13 through 15 which valve structure is operated by means of the crank 185 and links 183 and 182 described in connection with the manually operated machine and shown in both Figures 1 and 17.

Discharge conveyor mechanism In the manually operated machine heretofore described, package trays which were ejected from the molding plungers by means of a stream of pressure fluid were deposited on the platform 194 which is rigidly fixed to and moves with the movable portion 72 of the molding chamber. In the present instance this platform is omitted and a series of platforms 260 are provided. Platforms 260 are pivotally mounted on the links of the conveyor chain 223. Each platform is supported by a bar 261 rigidly mounted on corresponding links of the two chains and is thus held in a horizontal position as it traverses the upper and lower reaches with the result that a horizontal platform is presented beneath the plunger at the time that the formed package tray is discharged therefrom. Each platform thus extends over three chain links.

Time sequence of operations As has been indicated the various parts of the machine are operated in timed relationship by means of the driving mechanism described above. Referring now to Figures 17 through 21, the various parts are shown in these drawings in the positions which they occupy at a particular time in the cycle of operation, the time selected being that at which the molding plunger has come to rest against the mold bottom.

Shortly thereafter the cams 257 will cause the plates 254 to rise thus initiating the flap folding operation which operation will be completed after approximately 135 of rotation of the shaft 205. Approximately 10 later or after of rotation of shaft 205, the movable mold half will begin its movement to the left as seen in Figure -15 19 which movement will be completed 83 later, namely, when the shaft 205 has rotated through 228.

As is obvious from the construction of the mold chamber operating mechanism the mold will commence to close immediately after it has been fully opened and as has been described above during the closing operation sheet material will be fed into place above themold chamber. While the mold chamber is closing and when the shaft 205 has rotated through approximately 260 the plunger chain will start its movement. During the first portion of this movement the mold will be sufficiently open so that a plunger can descendtherethrough while during the terminating portion of the plunger movement the mold will be closed and a succeeding plunger may carry the cut portion of sheet material into the molding chamber to form a package tray in the manner previously described.

It will be obvious from the comparison of the figures mentioned that the mold chamber will be completely closed when the shaft 205 has rotated through approximately 311 whereas the succeeding plunger will not come to rest until the end of the cycle at the 360 point. There is thus provided sufficient time for the molding plunger to descend into the mold subsequent to the closure of the mold and to exert pressure against the bottom of the mold prior to the completion of the flap folding operation and the initiation of the next mold opening operation.

Further, because the creasing and cutting rollers are operated through the medium of the chains-107 these operations will likewise be in timed relationship to the operations just above discussed, and since the discharge mechanism is controlled by means of the operation of the chains 107 and also by means of a'conveyor chain 223 driven by gears at a definite ratio to the rotation of the sprocket wheels 112, the operation of the package tray discharging mechanism is in timed relation to that of the remaining parts.

Variable dimension molding chamber 7 In the foregoing description of the manual and automatic machine the molding chamber was shown and described which is capable of producing a package of fixed dimensions. it is frequently desirable, however, to have a machine which may be utilized in producing packages of different dimensions and particularly one which may be utilized in forming what may be termed a family of packages, that is, a plurality of packages having difi'eriug widths and lengths but having =their depth the same.

Figures 22 through 25 illustrate a machine modified to produce such packages, the modifications comprising the substitution of a mold chamber in which the dimensions may be varied for the fixed mold chamber described above together with certain minor modifications of the sheet cutting, mold moving and discharge means to correlate the cutoif point of the sheet, the movement of the 4 mold and the location of the plunger at the time of discharge With the particular setting of the variable elements of the variable molding chamber.

Referring now to Figure 22 the molding chamber shown therein comprises two halves 270 and 271. The portion 270 of the molding chamber is the movable portion and the portion 271 the stationary portion. The outer shell of the portion 271 is fixed at all times but within that shell there is provided the mold block 273 which may be moved to the right as seen in Figure 22 or toward the rear of the machine in order to enlarge the molding chamber as respects its width. The block 273 is provided with the same bores and cutouts as the mold of Figure 7 in which the creasing rollers 92 and the cutoff rollers 93 are located, these rollers being mounted on shafts similar to those shown in Figure 7. However, in the variable mold structure the shafts extend to the right and are splined. Gears 274 and 275 corresponding generally to gears 120 and 121 are mounted on internally splined sleeves which are in turn slidably mounted on splinecl 16 shafts, these elements being suitably supported by vertically extending members 276 carrying bearings in which the shafts rotate.

The movable mold half 270 is constructed in a like manner and it is thus possible to adjust the position of the mold blocks Within the shell so that the chamber is enlarged or diminished in the dimension which has been termed the package width. It will be obvious that the gears 274 and 275 are always in the same position irrespective of the positioning of the mold blocks so that these gears mesh with the racks 122 which in turn mesh with the gears 123 and are thus driven in timed relationship to the movements of the molding plungers.

The flap folding mechanism of the variably dimensioned mold is identical with that of the fixed dimension mold. but the treadle operating framework 254 is provided with bars such as indicated at 251 and 252 in Figure 21 which have sufiicient width so that the racks 133 lie thereupon in all adjusted positions of the stationary and movable mold parts.

Since the movable mold part is utilized to feed the sheet material, it is necessary when a variable mold is utilized that the movement of the movable mold half be increased as the package width is increased in order to provide suflicient material to form the larger package. This is accomplished in a manner which is indicated in Figure 19. The pins 225 are mounted in the disks 224 by inserting them in threaded openings in the disks and such threaded openings are provided along a radial line, three such openings being indicated at 277, 278 and 280. The stroke of the movable mold portion 270 may thus readily be varied by simply placing the pin 225 in one of the holes 277, 278 or 280 to cause a greater movement of the movable mold half as the pin is located closer to the periphery of the disk.

Not only must the machine feed a greater length of material, but it must also feed that material into a position in which the amount thereof at the rear of the center line of the molding plunger is exactly equal to the amount at the forward side of the molding plunger. This is accomplished by means of the vacuum ports 71' located in the top 71 of the movable half of the molding chamber. As is indicated in Figure 10, these ports 71 may be incorporated in strips mounted in the mold chamher top and may be positioned so that they extend a greater or lesser distance into grooves in the top of the stationary mold half. By this means when the package width is made greater, it is still possible to have an equal portion of the sheet material to the rear and to the front of the center line of the molding chamber.

In addition to providing for carrying the material rear- Wardly to a greater extent when making the larger package, the material must also be cut off so that a greater total length is provided. This is accomplished by moving the vacuum registration plate 66 toward the front of the machine and simultaneously moving the cutting knife toward the front. The vacuum registration plate is supported on the bracket member 152 which is in turn supported on the plate 279 which extends between the forward flanges of channels 42. The arms 282 of the bracket 152 extend downwardly and are provided with inwardly projecting tongues 283, Figure 11, which cooperate with grooves 284 in the sides of the vacuum registration plate 66 thus permitting that plate to be adjusted forwardly and rearwardly of the machine, it being understood that the tongues 283 are frictionally engaged with the grooves 284 so that the plate will remain in any adjusted position.

.As in, the machines previously described, the cutting knife 150 is mounted for vertical movement and is guided by means of pins 156 operating in vertically extending slots in an anglerbracket which is designated 285 in Figure 22, the knife 150 being held against the bracket by means of thecompression spring 155. In the machine previously described, the knife 150 was raised and lowered 

